9 to 5, Shrek Lead 2009 Drama Desk Nominations

About the Show

The Broadway musicals 9 to 5 and Shrek topped the list of nominees for the 2009 Drama Desk Awards, drawing 15 and 12 nods, respectively. The nominations were announced on April 27 at the New York Friars Club by Faith Prince and Jim Dale. The Drama Desk Awards ceremony will be held on May 17 at F.H. LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center, hosted by Harvey Fierstein.

The Drama Desk, an organization of professional theater critics, writers and editors, bestows awards with Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions competing in the same categories. In fact, only one of the six Outstanding Play nominees, Reasons to be Pretty, was produced on Broadway. Special ensemble awards for acting were awarded to the casts of The Norman Conquests and The Cripple of Inishmaan, and special awards were announced for Liza Minnelli, Forbidden Broadway, the Atlantic Theater Company and TADA! Youth Theater.

Outstanding Book of a MusicalSteven Cosson and Jim Lewis, This Beautiful CityJoe DiPietro, The Toxic AvengerLee Hall, Billy ElliotBrian Hill, The Story of My LifeDavid Lindsay-Abaire, Shrek the MusicalPatricia Resnick, 9 to 5

Outstanding Set Design of a PlayDale Ferguson, Exit the KingRob Howell, The Norman ConquestsDavid Korins, Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love ThemDerek McLane, 33 VariationsNeil Patel, Fifty WordsWalt Spangler, Desire Under the Elms

Outstanding Projection and Video DesignPaul Barritt, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue SeaTimothy Bird and The Knifedge Creative Network, Sunday in the Park with GeorgeZachary Borovay, A Catered AffairJim Findlay and Jeff Sugg, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol IslandLorna Heavey, MacbethTal Yarden, The Misanthrope

Unique Theatrical ExperienceAbsinthe 2008 EditionArias With a TwistCelebrity Autobiography: In Their Own WordsDésirSoul of ShaolinSurrender

The Drama Desk news release included explanations for several omissions, including Next to Normal. The show was considered last season in its off-Broadway premiere, and only new elements in the Broadway transfer could be considered, including, presumably, the lead performance of J. Robert Spencer. According to the release, “The producers, who requested that we consider the Broadway transfer only as an entirely new show, refused to invite nominators until it was too late for any new elements to be evaluated.”

All elements in both productions of shows that transferred to Broadway in the same season were eligible, which led to the nomination of Pablo Schreiber in the off-Broadway production of Reasons to be Pretty. [title of show] was considered in a previous season in its off-Broadway premiere.

In the case of the young stars of Billy Elliot, the Drama Desk release explained, “Only one actor playing Billy in Billy Elliot was seen by all nominators, who were not invited to see the other two for consideration unless the Drama Desk Executive Board agreed to classify all three separate performances as one unit for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. The Board rejected that request, as well as a request that as an alternative no actor playing Billy be considered.Productions with multiple nominations:9 to 5 - 15Shrek the Musical - 12Billy Elliot - 10Hair - 8White Christmas - 6Ruined - 5The Norman Conquests - 5Blithe Spirit - 4Exit the King - 4Fela! - 4Reasons to be Pretty - 4The Story of My Life - 4The Winter's Tale - 433 Variations - 3A Tale of Two Cities - 3Enter Laughing The Musical - 3Equus - 3Fifty Words - 3Mary Stuart - 3Pal Joey - 3The Toxic Avenger - 3Arias With a Twist - 2Blasted - 2Body Awareness - 2Clay - 2Dear Edwina - 2Desire Under the Elms - 2Happiness - 2My Vaudeville Man! - 2Road Show - 2The Cherry Orchard - 2The Cripple of Inishmaan - 2The Seagull - 2Waiting for Godot - 2West Side Story - 2